1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to portable terminals, and more particularly to a main board of a portable terminal, on which a socket for an interface connector, a battery terminal, and a memory card is mounted.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, “portable communication apparatus” or “portable terminal” refers to an electronic apparatus which allows a user to wirelessly communicate with other users via a service provider base station using the portable communication apparatus.
Early portable terminals provided services, such as a voice communication service and a short message service. As electronic/information communication techniques developed, portable terminals began to provide multi-media services such as an image communication service and a VOD (Video On Demand) service, and are often equipped with voice recording and digital camera functions.
To accommodate the above services, portable terminals typically require an interface connector for connecting the portable terminal to another electronic/information apparatus, such as a personal computer, and also typically require a storage medium, such as a memory card, capable of storing a large amount of electronic data, such as moving pictures.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional portable terminal 100 equipped with a main board 103, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rear surface of the main board 103 of the portable terminal 100 shown in FIG. 1. The portable terminal 100 shown in FIG. 1 is a folder-type terminal including a main body 101 and a folder 102.
The main body 101 includes a front case 101a and a rear case 101b. The front case 101a includes a key pad 111 and a transmitting unit 113, and the main board 103 is mounted on the main body 101.
The folder 102 is hingably connected to the main body 101, and is rotatably movable between an open position and a closed position with respect to the main body 101. A camera lens 104 is mounted between the main body 101 and the folder 102, that is, on a hinge unit, in such a manner that image communication and photographing of a desired subject can be achieved using the portable terminal 100.
A plurality of dome switches 131 are mounted on a front surface of the main board 103, and an interface connector 133 is installed at an end of the main board 103. The dome switches 131 are aligned with corresponding key buttons that form the key pad 111, and, if a user presses a key button, the corresponding dome switch 131 generates an electrical signal corresponding to the pressed key button.
Referring to FIG. 2, a socket 137 for receiving a memory card therein, a SIM-card socket 139, and a battery terminal connector 135 are mounted on a rear surface of the main board 103.
The socket 137 is exposed to an exterior through an opening 117 (FIG. 1) formed at one side of the portable terminal 100 to allow insertion of the memory card into the socket 137. The SIM-card socket 139 is exposed to an exterior through a mounting hole 115 formed in the rear case 101b of the main body 101 such that a SIM-card, in which personal information of a user is recorded, is coupled to the SIM-card socket 139.
However, the main board of the portable terminal having the construction described above additionally requires the socket for receiving the memory card therein, so that space available for mounting other parts on the main board is reduced. In addition, because the socket occupies a large area on the main board as compared with another parts, the socket causes a problem of using more space on the main board than is required.